Sprayer head having improved sealing and discharging means



Nov. 20, 1962 B. l. scoGGlN, JR., ETAL 3,064,865

SPRAYER HEAD HAVING IMPROVED SEALING AND DISCHARGING MEANS Filed Aug. 24, 1959 M y 2 rzgoRA/fys. 7

nite Stats souri Filed Ang. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 835,680 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-321) Ths Iinvention relates to improvements in pumps or sprayers and particularly to that class of spraying attachments for containers commonly employed for example, in the dispensxng of insecticides and other uids, the primary ooject being to eliminate leakage problems when the pump or sprayer is not in use. Hand pumps of the kind used in small containers and utilizing a spring-loaded reci-procable plunger are prone to leak while in storage, and although the discharge head of the sprayer may be held ydepressed and enclosed within a cap, such improvement ot' itself does not prevent leakage into the cap.

lt is the most important object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a valve that blocks the normal flow of the huid to the outlet orifice of the discharge head whenever the plunger is held depressed at the inner end of its path of travel.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a diaphragm valve in the nature of a liexi'ole membrane that may be held closed while the pump plunger is depressed tnrougn use ot a noid-down member that of itself, need not either house the discharge head or operate as a sealing means. Y

Another important object of the present invention is to eliminate leakage from between the plunger and the barrel of the pump within which the plunger is reciprocably mounted through the medium of a seal between the discharge head and the barrel that is likewise held in a sealing condition by the hold-down member aforementioned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in the aforementioned diaphragm valve, a special construction permitting exing without stretching of the material from which the membrane is made.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a control nozzle for the discharge head of the pump that has novel interlocking means with the head, as well as a unique arrangement for utilizing the huid pressure itself as the means for sealing the nozzle with respect to the head, eliminating the necessity of using adhesive to hold the nozzle in place.

ln the drawing:

FIG. l is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a pump provided with a sprayer head having improved sealing and discharging means made pursuant to my present invention, the container within which the pump is mounted being illustrated ragmentarily.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FlG. 1 but with the holddown member removed and the plunger disposed at the outer end of its path of travel.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the head in section and the outer end of the plunger in elevation; and

FlG. 4 is an inside View of the nozzle prior to mounting the same on the head.

A pump, broadly designated by the numeral 10, is shown in FIGS. l and 2 Vattached to neck 12 of a fluid container 14. The connection is releasable by virtue of the fact that pump is attached to a cap 16 which is in turn screw-threaded onto the neck 12.

Pump 10 includes a barrel 1S, a spring-loaded plunger 26 reciprocable in barrel 18, and a discharge head 22 on the outer end of the plunger 20. Barrel 18 progressively 3,054,355 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 ige decreases in diameter as a valve `seat 24 is approached, seat 24 being within the barrel 18 near the inner end of the latter and being juxtaposed to a restricted opening 26 in barrel 18. A tube (not shown) leading to the bottom of the container 14 istitted into recess 2S at the inner end of barrel 18, and such tube, therefore communicates with the opening 26.

A retention member Titi forming a part of the barrel 18, clamps a gasket 32 against the upper end of neck 12 `and against an outwardly extending flange 34 integral with the barrel 13 therearound. it also clamps top face 36 of cap 16 against ange 34.

Barrel 13 extends through an opening 33 in the top 35 of cap 1e and through the washer-type -gasket 32. The member 3d is press-tted or otherwise tightly aiiixed to the barrel 13 to become a part thereof, and is provided with a central opening 4@ within which the plunger 20 reciprocates. shaped recess 42 terminating in a socket 44, both of which surround the plunger, socket 44 having an annular, transversely sloping side wall as seen in FIG. 2.

Plonger 2@ provides -a tubular passage for fluid and is provided with an outwardly-facing shoulder 46 that engages member :itl as shown in FiG. 2, to limit the extent of outward movement of plunger 2t) under inuence of spring i that is housed within barrel 18 between plunger 2Q and a spherical check valve 5d engageable with seat 24. Spring 4S rests on wall 51 of barrel 18, not on valve Sib, the inner convolution 53 `of spring 43 limiting the extent of movement of floating valve S0 away `from seat 24. A tubular plug S2 attached to plunger 2@ and extending into the inner end of the latter, receives the proximal end of the spring 43 and is provided with oppositely flaring, flexible wings 54 and 56 therearound that are in wiping engagement with the inner face of barrel 18.

Head 22, that is finger-actuated during use of the pump 1i) to reciprocate the plunger Ztl, is telescoped over the outer end of the plunger 20 and provided with a bore 58 therethrough that is appreciably larger in diameter than the outside diameter of a tubular reduced end portion 6i? of the plunger 2t) whereby the bore 58, adjacent the portion 6d, is adapted to receive fluid from the plunger 2li when diaphragm 62 is unseated, as illustrated in FiG. 3.

The diaphragm 62 is in the nature of a thin membrane that partitions or closes ott the upper end of the bore 5S and is preferably made as an integral part of the head 22. Diaphragm Valve 62 has a central disc-like portion 64 that is adapted to engage the outer end of the portion 6i) of plunger 2@ to block flow of iluid from plunger 20 to bore 58 as illustrated in FIG. l.

To the end that the diaphragm 62 may be exed toward and away from the proximal end of plunger 2t? without stretching the material from which diaphragm 62 is made, there is provided an annulus 66 that is transversely undulated. Annulus 66, which integrally interconnects the inner wall of head 22 that defines bore 58 with the portion 64 therearound, normally has substantially the shape of an inverted V, although if desired, the transverse shape of the annulus 66 might well be that of an upright V.

To this end, an outwardly-facing, annular, transversely V-shaped groove 65, and a similarly shaped, inwardlyfacing groove 70 are formed in the diaphragm 62.

The distance between the outer end of plunger 20 and the diaphragm portion 64 when the latter is in its normal position as shown in FIG. 3, is determined by interengaging shoulders 72 between the head 22 and the plunger 2t) and by the inner end of head 22 engaging shoulder 74 on plunger 2i). The said inner end of head 22 also seats against the bottom wall of socket 44 when the plunger 20 is depressed, as shown in FIG. l. Further sealing at this point is provided by a bead 76 integral with head 22 at its innermost end in surrounding relationship thereto. The

The outer face of the member 3% has a dishbead `76"which is substantially semi-circular transversely thereof, also ts within the socket44 rather tightly, deforming the exible material from which the member 38 and the head 22 are made (see FIG. l). The action is similar'in nature'th'er'efore, to that provided by an O- ring seal..

*,R'e'le'asable means in the nature of a hold-down member 78`isatta'ched to ba'r'r'ellS and particularly to the portion 34)V thereof in any suitable manner such as by'intermeshing screw threads as illustrated. While the member 78 chosen for illustration, is cup-shapedso as to enclose the head 22,"Such enclosure is'not necessary and, therefore,

the hold-down member 7S may take any 'desired form.

However, it is necessary that the Ymember 73 not only n'aintain the 'plunger 20 depressed, but that it maintain the parts i4-76 tightly sealed. Still further, the member 78'servesto deect thediaphragm'valve 62 and press the portion V64 thereof against'the proximal end of plunger portion 60,by virtueof a pressure ear Sti integral with Vthe top wall-of member 78vand depending therefrom. Note inFlG. l that the ear 80 enters'the bore 58 and engages the diaphragm'portion64 when the member 73 is attached to the portion 39 of barrel 18.

A laterally extending boss 82 onV the head2?. is provided with a shallow;outwardly-facing cavity receiving a plate'portioni` of a discharge nozzle'SS. The side wall of boss 82 deining the cavity-therein is provided with an annular groove 90 'surrounding the plate portion 86 and into which' the latter is'snap-tted. Y

An inturned, annular rib 92 within the boss 82 separates the groove 90 from a dovetail-type of annular groove 94 within boss '82. An inwardly-extending band 96 integral with plate 86 complementally receives the rib 92 and'is received bythe groove 94 again bya snapdit because of the resilient nature of the material from which head 22 and nozzle 88 are made. A

`Head V22 has an outlet port 98 Vplacing the cavity of boss 82 into communication with bore 58, and'partic'ularly with anV annular chamber 100 in boss 82 that'is surrounded by the band 96 and covered by plate 86. The chamber 100'registers directly with a plurality ofpassages 102 in rthe inner face of plate 86 that are tangential'to the band 96 and to-a frusto-conical outlet aperture in the plate S6 that 'terminates in a cylindrical' hole VWhen thepump it)v is to be placed in use, 'the holddown member 78 is removed, whereupon an operator may reciprocate the plunger in cooperationwith spring 48 to force `uid such as a liquid insecticide, from the container 14, through the aperture 104. It iso'bvious that thel valve 50 rises from seal 24 to admit the liquid into the lplunger 2i) when the latter is depressed, and bears against seat 24 vto preventy passage of liquid back into container 14 when spring 48forces`plunger 29 to the posigon shown in FIG. 2, causing the liquid to ow'into bore The uid passes from the bore 58 and thence'toV thc port 98 whereit is equalized within the chamber 10o and ows to all 'of the passages 102 `for discharge in an atomized uniform spray from the terminal'end 165 of aperture 104. The pressure of the uid within the chambetr 100 actsradially outwardly'on the band 96'of'n`o`zzle means SSito press the band 95 tightly against the rib 92. Any liuid'that Vtends to m-ove'i'nwa'rdly'in chamber 4104i, away'from` plate 8 6'along the'band 96,v also tends to hold the latter tightlyr withinlthe groove 94. This actionV seals Y the member SS-and'prevents leakage.

t When the pump 10 is not in use, the member 78'is placed on thepart 30 of barrel '1S and in so doing, there is' a sealing action not only between the valve 62 and the portion 60 of plunger '20, but a sealing action between the bead 76 andthemember 30 in socket 44. Y

Accordingly, the uid cannot leak tothe outside of the container Y14`e ither from the Youter end of plunger 20 or `from between'ba'rrel portion 30 and plunger 20 at the 4 opening 4i). Furthermore, the member 78 prevents accidental reciprocation of plunger '20 and, therefore, discharge of the fluid during storage, shipment or other nonuse of the pump 10. y

This is a continuation-in-,partof our copending application Serial No. 789,902, filed January 29, 1959, `now abandoned. A Y

VHaving thus described the invention whatisclaimedas new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a'iiuidhandling assembly, the combination of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

(b) member on thebarrel;

(c) a plunger'havin'gy conduitrn'eans therethrough, re-

ciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member; Y I

(d) a head mounted on vthe plunger above saidme'rnber provided with a'lbore communicating with l'the conduit means of said plunger;

l(e) a shiftable, "biased, ilexible diaphragm secured to the head and closing thenormally upprm'o'stiend fof the bore, the upper 4end o'fsaid plunger ybeing open, being disposed within the bore, and ybeir'ig spaced below 'the' diaphragm when the latter is in 'the normal position thereof permitting vfree flow of huid into 'the bore Athrough said open'end of the' plunger, said head'liaving a huid outlet porty communicatingwith'said bore; V (f) means on the plunger within' the barrel for pumping fluid into the barrel, through 'the plunger, into said bore,vand thense through said'port upon reciprocation ofthe plunger; (g) a hold=down elememt releasably attached to the "member and having a' topoverylying the 'head when the element is attached to the member; and (h') yan ear'de'pending-from said top and-against Vthe diaphragm, holding the latter in -a`-shiftedposition opposed vtothe bias andagainst said upper end `of Y the plunger in complete fluid closing relationship therewith only when the element is attached tothe member. A

2. In a fluid handling assembly, the combination'of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

(b) a member on the barrel;

y(c) a plun'gerrhaving conduit means therethrough, re-

ciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member;

(d) a head above said. member and: provided withra bore;

=(e) a shiftable, biased, exible diphragm secured `to the head andv closing the normally uppermost end of the bore, said plunger extending into the opposite end of the bore and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outside diameter, Lpresenting a space in the bore surrounding said portion, the upper end of said terminal portionbeing open and spaced below the diaprhagm when the latter is in the Vnormal postiontherof permitting free ilow of fluid into theibore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a uid outlet port communicating with said space;

(f) meanson the plunger within the barrel for pumping fluid into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and thence through said port upon recip- Y procation ofthe plunger; w

(g) a hold-down element releasably attached to the member and having a top wall overlying the head when the element is attached to the member; and

(h) an ear depending from said wall and against the diaphragm, holding the latter in a shifted position against said Yupper end ofV said terminal portion of the plunger in complete Vfluid closing relationship therewith only when the element is attached to the member. y

3. In uid handling assembly, the combination of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

(b) a member on the barrel;

(c) a plunger having conduit means therethrough, reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member;

(d) a head above said member and provided with a bore;

(e) a shifta'ole, biased, flexible, generally ilat diaphragm secured to the head and closing the normally uppermost end of the bore, said plunger being tightly tted into the opposite end of the bore coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outside diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding said portion, the upper end of said terminal portion being open and spaced below the diaphragm when the latter is in the normal position thereof permitting free iiow of iluid into the bore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a fluid Outlet port communicating with said space;

(f) means on the plunger within the barrel for pumping uid into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and thence through said port upon reciprocation of the plunger:

(g) a hold-down element releasably attached to the member and having a top wall overlying the head with the element is attached to the member; and

(h) an ear intgral with said wall and depending therefrom, said ear extending into the bore and against the diaphragm, holding the latter in a shifted position against said upper end of said terminal portion of the plunger in complete uid closing relationship therewith only when the element is attached to the member.

4. In a fluid handling assembly, the combination of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

(b) a member on the barrel;

(c) a spring loaded plunger having conduit means therethrough, reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member;

(d) a head above said member and provided with a bore;

(e) a shiftable, biased, iiexible, generally flat diaphragm integral with the head and closing the normally uppermost end of the bore, said plunger being tightly fitted into the opposite end of the bore coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore or" reduced outside diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding said portion, the upper end of said terminal portion being open and spaced below the diaphragm when the latter is in the normal position thereof permitting free flow of iiuid into the bore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a laterally-extending, fluid outlet port communicating with said space;

(f) means on the plunger within the barrel for pumping luid into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and thence through said port upon reciprocation of the plunger;

(g) a hollow, hold-down cover releasably attached to the member in surrounding relationship to the latter and in housing relationship to the head, said cover having a top wall overlying the head when ythe cover is on the member; and

(h) an ear integral with said wall within the cover and depending therefrom, said ear extending into Ithe bore and against the diaphragm, holding the latter in a shifted position against said upper end of said terminal portion of the plunger in complete fluid closing relationship therewith only when the cover is on the member.

5; In a fluid handling assembly, the combination of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

(b) a member on the barrel;

(c) a spring-loaded plunger having conduit means therethrough, reciprocable in lthe barrel and extendlthrough the member, said member having a normally Auppermost face provided with a socket surrounding the plunger;

(d) a head above said face and provided with a bore;

(e) a shiftable, biased, tiexible, generally at diaphragm integral with the head and closing the normally uppermost lend of the bore, said plunger being tightly tted into the opposite end of the bore coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outside diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding said p0rtion, the upper end of said terminal portion being open and spaced below the diaphragm when the latter yis in the normal position thereof permitting free flow of iiuid into the bore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a laterally-extending, iluid outlet port communicating with said space;

(f) means on the plunger Within the barrel for pumping iluid into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and -thence through said port upon reciprocation of the plunger;

(g) a hollow, hold-down cover releasably attached to the member in surrounding relationship to the latter and in housing relationship to the head, said cover having a top wall overlying the head when the cover is on the member;

(h) an ear integral with said wall Within the cover and depending therefrom, said ear extending into the bore and against the diaphragm, holding the latter in a shifted position against said upper end of said terminal portion of the plunger in iluid closing relationship therewith only when the cover is on the member; and

(i) a bead integral with the head yin surrounding relationship thereto adjacent the lower end of the head, said cover operating through the ear in holding the plunger depressed and the bead seated in said socket to provide a seal against flow of duid into the cover 'between the plunger and the member.

6. In a iluid handling assembly, the combination of:

(a) a hollow pump barrel;

i( b) a member on the barrel;

(c) a spring-loaded plunger reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member, said member having a normally uppermost face provided with a socket surrounding the plunger;

(d) a head above said face and provided with a bore;

(e) a shiftable, biased, flexible diaphragm secured to the head within the bore closing the normally uppermost end of the latter, said diaphragm having a central, disc portion and an annulus surrounding the disc portion and integrally joining the same with the head, said annulus being V-shaped in cross section, presenting continuous grooves in the outer and inner faces, respectively, of the diaphragm, said plunger being tightly fitted into the opposite end of thetbore coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outside diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding said portion, the upper end of said terminal portion being open and spaced below the diaphragm when the latter is in the normal position thereof permitting free flow of :fluid into the bore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a laterally-extending, uid outlet port communicating with said space;

(f) means on the plunger within the barrel for pumping fluid into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and thence through said port upon reciprocation of the plunger;

(g) a hollow, hold-down cover releasably attached to the member in surrounding relationship to the latter and in housing relationship to the head, said cover having a top wall overlying the head when the cover is on the member;

ceases '(lz) an ear'int'egral withlsaidw'all within-the cover and 7. In 'a uid handling assembly, the combination of: V(a) a container cap provided with an opening; (b) aY hollow pump barrel extending through said open- (c) a retention member on the barrel, said barrel having means within the cap cooperating with said member to hold the cap attached to thetbarrel;

(d) a spring-loaded plunger having conduit means therethrough, reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member, said member having a normally uppermost face provided with a socket surrounding the plunger;

(e) a head above said face and provided with a bore;

'-(f) a'shiftable, biased, flexible diaphragm secured to the head'within the bore closing the normally uppermost'end of the latter, said diaphragm having a central, disc portion and an annulus surrounding'the disc portion and integrally joining the same with the head, said annulus being V-shaped in cross section, presenting continuous grooves in the outer and inlner faces, respectively, ot' the diaphragm, said plunger being tightly tted into the opposite end of the bore 'coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outsde diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding said portion, the upper end of said terminal portion being open and spaced below the diphragm when the latter is in the normal position thereof permitting free ow of fluid into the bore through Vsaid open end of the plunger, said head'having a laterallyextending, fluid outlet port communicatingwith saidl space;

(g) means on the plunger within the barrel for pumping liuid into the barrel, -through the plunger, into said space, and thence through saidf port upon reciprocation of the plunger;

V(h) a hollow, hold-down cover releasably attached to the member in surrounding relationship to the latter and in housing relationship to the head,said cover having a top wall overlying the head whenthe cover is on the member;

(i) an ear integral Withsaid wall Within the-cover and depending therefrom, said ear extending into the'lbore and against the disc portion of the diaphragm, holding thelatter in a shifted position against said upper end of said terminal portion of the plunger in iluid closing relationship therewith only When the cover is on the member; and (j) a bead integral with the head in surrounding'relationship thereto adjacent the lower end ofthe head, said cover operating through the ear in holding the plunger depressed and the bead seated insaid'socket "to provide al seal against flow of Huid into the cover between vthe plunger'and the member.

.8. ln a fluid handlingv assembly, the combination of:

(a) a fluid container having a neck;

(b) a cap mounted on said neck and provided with an opening;

(c)k a hollow pump barrel in the container, coaxial with said neck and extendingithrough said opening;

(d) a retention member on the barrel Vexteriorly of the container, saidbarrelfhavingmeans Within the cap cooperating with said member to hold the cap attached to the barrel;

(e) a spring-loaded plunger having conduit means therethrough, reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the member, said member having a normally uppermost face provided with a socket surrounding the plunger;

(f) a head above said face and provided with a bore;

(g) a shiftable, biased, flexible diaphragm secured to the head within the bore closing the normally uppermost endy of the latter, said diaphragm having a central, disc portion and an annulus surrounding the disc portion andintegrally joining the same with the head, said annulus being V-shape'd in-cross section, presenting continuous grooves in the outer and inner faces, respectively, of the diaphragm, said plunger being tightly fitted into the opposite end of the bore coaxially therewith and having a terminal portion within the bore of reduced outside diameter, presenting a space in the bore surrounding saidlportion, the upper end of said terminal portion being Vopen and spaced below the diaphragm when the latter is in the normal position thereof permitting free flow of iiuid into the bore through said open end of the plunger, said head having a laterally-r extending, fluid outlet port communicating with said space;

(h) means on the plunger within the barrel for pumping fluid from the container, into the barrel, through the plunger, into said space, and thence through said port upon reciprocation of the plunger;

(i) a hollow, hold-down cover releasably attachedto the member in surrounding relationship to the latter and in housing relationship to the head, said cover having a top wall overlying the head when the cover is on the member; K

(j) an ear integral with said wall Within the coverand depending therefrom, said ear extending into the bore and against the disc portion of the diaphragm, holding the latter in a shifted position against said upper end of said terminal portion of the plunger in iluid closing relationship therewith only when the cover is on the member; and

(k) a bead integral with the head in surrounding relationship thereto adjacent the lower end of the head, said cover operating through the ear in holding the plunger depressed and the bead seated insaid socket to provide a yseal against flow of uidyfrom `the container into the cover between the plungervand the member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,380 Truesdell Sept. 21, 1880 868,426 Goodchild Oct. 15, 1907 1,688,195 McGregor Oct. 16, 1928 1,970,138 Hawley Aug. 14, 1934 1,973,709 Hibbert et al 'Sept. 1,8, 1934 2,069,156 Bernhardt Jan. 26, 1.937 2,088,790 Huthsing Aug. 3, 1937 2,117,296 YCahoon May 17, 1938 2,299,472 Edmundson Oct. 20, 1942 2,392,085 Ferrel Jan. 1, 1946 2,681,622 Titus June 22, 1954 2,835,534 Galeazzi May 20, 1958 2,956,509 Cooprider et al. Oct. 18, 19,60 

